Apple Music, Tidal promote Neil Young after Spotify removes his music

NME

Music streaming platforms Apple Music and Tidal have voiced their support for Neil Young’s music, which Spotify has removed from its platform at the musician’s request.

Earlier this week, Young had demanded Spotify remove his music from its catalogue, claiming the platform was “spreading false information about vaccines” by hosting the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.

Young’s criticism came after hundreds of scientists and medical professionals asked Spotify to address COVID-19 misinformation that has been included in episodes of Rogan’s podcast. “They can have Rogan or Young,” the musician wrote. “Not both.”

Spotify acquiesced to Young’s request, issuing a statement that read: “We regret Neil’s decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon.”

Young’s music, while now unavailable from Spotify, remains on other streamers, some of which have since taken the opportunity to promote his music on their platforms. On Wednesday (January 26), Apple Music reminded followers that “it’s always a good idea to stream @NeilYoungNYA,” providing a link to a playlist of his music titled ‘Neil Young Essentials’.

After Spotify removed his music, Young shared another open letter thanking his record label for supporting him and claiming that he had lost 60 per cent of his streaming income as a result of the Spotify removal. In that same letter, he praised Apple Music for presenting his music “in all its High-Resolution glory – the way it is intended to be heard”.

TIDAL, on the other hand, noted the increase of new users and Neil Young play counts on their platform. The service retweeted a fan’s observation that a Neil Young playlist has been trending on the platform, adding “Love that for us”.

After that, they addressed the surge of new users who have since migrated to their service: “Who all new here,” they tweeted.

US radio station SiriusXM also announced the return of ‘Neil Young Radio’, a satellite and streaming channel. It notably features recorded segments of Young talking about the stories behind some of his songs.

Neil Young Radio was originally launched in December 2021 on a limited run. It will air for seven days on SiriusXM’s satellite radio service, and stream for a month on the SXM app.

Yesterday (January 27), Disturbed‘s David Draiman and the widow of Gang Of Four‘s Andy Gill waded into the issue with their own opinions on Spotify and The Joe Rogan Experience.

In an open letter to Spotify, Gill’s widow Catherine Mayer criticised the platform for keeping The Joe Rogan Experience on their platform, calling it a decision to “put profit before principle”.

Draiman, on the other hand, applauded Spotify for “making the RIGHT call, preserving #FreeSpeech and not capitulating to the mob”, despite stating that he does not “agree with everything @joerogan or his guests say”.

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